MEET SHAIFUL!

Chic Talking With ... Sereni & Shentel

Lady Gaga once said that she wanted to
conquer the world, one sequin at a time. However, in Sereni and Shentel’s case,
the sequin will be replaced with a headband at a time.

Hailing from Kuching,
jetsetters Sereni Linggi and Shentel Lee are continuously carving their mark in
the fashion scene with the birth of their revolutionary headband label, Sereni
and Shentel. Sassy, sexy and obviously quirky, Shentel
and Sereni headbands have received not just rave reviews and chic lauds from
fashion editors and bloggers, but also craved by discerning fashionistas and trendsetting
celebrities. Even the Miss Universe contestants too fell for their headbands
when Malaysia’s very own
Deborah Priya Henry presented them in beautifully crafted boxes at this year’s
pageant in São Paulo.

Recently, I managed to get the girls to chip out some of their precious time
for an email interview. Therefore, Sereni and Shentel fans out there, do check
it out!

Every brand has a story to tell. What is
yours?Kuching is a small city and although we
both travel a lot there were many a weekends where we found ourselves with
simply nothing to do. We both share a love for the handmade and decided one
weekend to make headbands for a Lady Gaga concert that we were attend in Singapore.

The
reaction that we received from the concert crowd was overwhelming. Sereni and I
were bombarded by photographers and taken by all the Singaporeans asking us
where we got our headbands from.

Shentel even made it into the newspapers the
next day for the headband that we made. It wasn’t until we had the opportunity
to create hair accessories for a Tatler Shoot in the Philippines when we really started
to get serious. Sereni got to meet the hair guru Kim Robinson at the shoot and
after his praise for the range we decided that we would start a small online
store to showcase our designs.

How long has Sereni and Shentel been in the
fashion market?

We have been in business since September
2009

How do you get the idea to create those
beautiful yet sassy headbands? Do they come instantly or more than a week?

We are simply addicted to the Internet. We
LOVE that you can get visual references to just about anything with the click
of a button. We follow blogs, Twitter and Facebook religiously and read online
magazines through zinio.com as it is the fasted way to get overseas
publications.

A lot of our inspiration comes from our Mother's as well as
visual pin boards that we create from clippings and bit and pieces that find
their way into our handbags through our travels.

Some of our ideas are amazing
and many of them get thrown in the bin. The bad designs are the most memorable
for us, as we tend to laugh about them over coffee. As the saying goes, "It's
so bad, it's so good!" Our designs do take time to create. Some have taken
months to get right.

Are the headbands’ design based on specific
themes according to the fashion seasons (spring/summer, fall/winter) or just
inspired by some random things such as Pucci prints or semi-precious stones?

To be honest we do not follow specific
fashion seasons. We are heavily influenced by trends though and what is hot for
the moment. We look to other designers for their colour pallets.

Our Blair and
Blockspirations are a range of headbands that are created weekly and are
influenced by visuals that we see in magazines. We are collectors and love to
look back at past spreads for inspiration.

Both of you are heavily involved with the
corporate world — Sereni in the property line and Shentel as the founder of The
Playground Sydney — as well as in the Malaysia high society scene. So how
do you chip in a fraction, if not some of your time from the hectic schedule to
run Sereni and Shentel?

Some people go to the gym, some people
spend time with their friends, some people cook dinner. We spread headband love
in our free time. The business is still our major hobby and we love that we get
to have some down time away from our day jobs.

Since the headbands are made to order (as
per the website FAQ page), how long do you take to complete the orders and are
they handmade?All our headbands are handmade in our
Kuching workshop. An order can take up to 9 days to complete depending on our
schedule. All headbands are placed on our list on a first come first serve
basis.

The “Made in Borneo”
tag spotted on the bands really caught my attention. That said, does that mean
all materials used for the headbands are sourced within the vast and beautiful island of Borneo itself?We would love for all the materials to be
made in Borneo and when we do find a supplier
we would switch in a heartbeat.

Right now our materials are sourced from all
over the world, but our personally trained artisans hand sew each and every
headband. Some headbands require up to three people to complete it. It is a
labour of Borneo love.

Now, some people, especially those who are
in the lower income group, tend to see the price of the headbands as absurd and
beyond affordable. What is your take on this subject? Our headbands are hand sewn and not machine
made. We do not make them in bulk oversees. All our headbands are shipped for
free within Malaysia
and are packaged in beautiful canvas bags. We think that they are investment
pieces worth having.

We also do repairs on headbands for our clients if their
headbands ever get into a shabby condition. This is a service we pride on. Of
course, if you snap your headband their isn't much we can do but we do try our
best if it is repairable.

Out of the thousands or perhaps, millions
of international trendsetters in the world, name one, two, or three celebrities
that you wish to see wearing Sereni and Shentel at the Oscars?Lady Gaga, Madonna and Elton John.

That is just who we are. We love to have a
laugh when it comes to getting dressed up, be it for work, play or eating a bag
of chips in front of the TV.

Moreover, Blair … I believe one or both of
you must be a die-hard fan of the Gossip Girls, right?Upper East side! We love Gossip Girl. Blair knows what she wants and always gets it
and we adore her for it.

Well, Blair and the others aside, the bunny
ears too almost got me swooned. Is that a sort of homage to the iconic Playboy
playmates?

Sereni is a zodiac rabbit so we have always
loved the bunny rabbit. Let us not forget as well the Easter Bunny. We are more
obsessed with him then the Playboy bunnies.

I just peeked at Sereni and Shentel look
book and I only have one word to describe it – MARVELLOUS! Running around in
shopping cart, gossiping (I guess) while on a limo ride, having milk and
cookies — they are indeed inspiring. Do you mind sharing with me the whole
story behind this well-done look book?The first look book was all about how we
saw the brand. We designed them for ourselves and we wanted to share with
others who we are, what the brand is and where is came from. All the photos
were taken in Kuching in places we actually live and breathe in. Some of the
pictures may seem a bit over the top but that is who we really are. Our motto
is "Be seen or GO HOME!"

The special headband that you created as
national gift to be auctioned off during the Miss Universe pageant is certainly
breathtaking. Judging from its meticulousness, I must say it took long working
hours to design it.

The headbands took three months to complete
and it was a labour of love. We are so thrilled with how they turned out and
seeing them on some of the contestants in Brazil was a kick.

Now that Sereni and Shentel headbands have
made it to the Miss Universe, thanks to our own beauty Deborah Henry, the
possibility for Sereni and Shentel to tap new and bigger markets such as Brazil, India,
China, the Middle East, United States and Europe
is already there. What say you?BRING IT ON!

All right, one last question from me. Where
do you see Sereni and Shentel in the next ten years? Will it spawn a
full-fledge ready-to-wear and footwear line or maybe a huge, dedicated store in
the heart of Kuching?

We have big plans for our brand but
ultimately we will always be hand-making headbands in Kuching. That is who we
are and what we are good at.

Sereni and Shentel headbands are retailed directly from their own website (http://www.sereniandshentel.com/), as well as by selected mixed brand retailers such as the M Store Women at The Gardens Mid Valley and 1st Avenue, Penang. Also, do check out the new Artist Series collection by New York-based artist Anna Coroneo and the special project line called the Borneo Collection.

EDITOR'S LOVE LETTER

One month from now, Christmas will be upon us, followed by New Year. Again, shopping malls and stores are literally screaming, “’Tis the season to go shopping!”

If in the previous years, our choices were limited to four collections – spring/summer, pre-fall, fall/winter and cruise - per year, the recent years have seen quite a surprising change. Spring has been separated from summer into a distinctive collection and same goes to winter – on its own. Overall, there are FIVE collections in a year! Does this mean yay or nay?

To the retailers, it is a certain 'yay' because it will lead to greater profit generation. To fashionistas who are always hungry for new clothes, it also means a huge ‘yay’ as they can keep on hunting for what’s new every day of the week. But what about fashionistas who are into fashion but lag behind when it comes to the finance part? A really tough situation, I suppose.

In this kind of situation, most fashionistas are torn between ready-to-wear and the accessories. To the accessories camp, accessories are worth investing in as they are not prone to seasons.

Take Birkin for instance. Regardless of what year or season, a black alligator hide 50cm Birkin in glossy finish is always relevant and goes well with anything, even in the next thousand years to come. So is Céline Luggage bag by Phoebe Philo that not only practical but also stands the test of time. Safe-keep them well and they can be the best heirlooms any girl could ask for.

While ready-to-wear is never a man’s problem, since menswear silhouettes and looks remain much the same season after season, the problem is more obvious with women.

Being season prone, many smart shoppers opt to stick with iconic or permanent pieces. Not only they are forever relevant but most importantly, they often last for a lifetime! Yet, there is a downside to it, if you were cash-strapped: They cost more than seasonal pieces. Furthermore, do not expect them to be seen on the sale rack once the season ends.

Speaking of permanent pieces, one of my favourite permanent or iconic looks that can be worn from day to night is the wrap dress by Diane von Furstenberg. Simple yet sexy, practical yet chic, the wrap dress has stood the test of time since it was first produced in the 1970s.

Furthermore, its appeal also lies in one fact every chic woman embrace: A wrap dress does not bring out the je ne sais quoi of a French woman or the cosmopolitan elegance of a New Yorker in you. Instead, it enhances your femininity, regardless of your age, your race, or your social background. Just as true as its creator once said, “Feel like a woman, wear a dress.”

So, no matter what your choice is, always remember that comfort is the main key to happiness and satisfaction. After all, having to walk and pose in pain for that bandage dress can be a waste of time, dear!

From me and Fashion Heaven Rants, wishing you a very chic Merry Christmas ahead!

Beaucoup d’Amour

Shaiful

WHO WEAR WHAT?

Sharon Stone seen with Mademoiselle Longchamp bag at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)